Hidden Gems: Meet Sam Medar of MVMNT Christian Stores

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Medar.

Hi Sam, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been in Christian retail for 22 years. 12 years with Berean Christian Stores, three years with Family Christian stores, six years with Lifeway Christian stores and now my store MVMNT Christian Stores going on two years in November! After Lifeway closed one of the last Christian bookstores chains remaining in the country, I felt like it was time to take a leap of faith and open my own Christian store. I couldn’t get any business loans so I had to used a bunch of credit cards to get it started. Started off really well until Covid hit us mid-March 2020 and we had to do Curbside all of April, our 2nd busiest time of the year because of Easter but we made it up during the summer when things open backed up and made up for the missing sales! Now the store is doing way above sales goals and people are driving over 50 plus miles to visit our stores because we are one on the last ones around in the valley. I am hoping to open a 2nd location in the west valley in the next year or two.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
From opening November 2019, it was going well until Covid 19 in mid-March and we lost a lot of sales because of Curbside pickups and it being Easter the 2nd busiest time of the year for us,

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a Christian Book and gift stores that sales specialty items for the Christian community and Churches. We are known for a great selection of Bibles and Bible imprinting. Our brand is that we are all moving in the same direction no matter what road we are on and we should be there for each other no matter what the situation is.

We offer Imprint names on Bibles, Journals, Wallets and any Leather type item.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Don’t wait until the time is right. If I would have waited, I would have never opened this store. Take that leap of faith and don’t overthink things. Just do it! I wished I knew how hard it was to hire people.

Pricing:

• Embossing is $7 to $15 per name
• Bibles range fro $3.99 to $129.99

Contact Info:

• Email: mvmntstores@gmail.com
• Website: mvmntstores.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mvmntstores/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mvmntstores
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mvmnt-gilbert